CZ9901818A3 - Pack for smoking articles and process for producing thereof - Google Patents

Abstract

A pack for cigarettes and like smoking articles has a frame (101) outside the charge of cigarettes but inside a flexible wrap, which is preferably a sealed enclosure of a barrier material such as a metal/plastic laminate, or metallized foil. The inner frame which is not rigid since its side (104) and end (108) flaps are free except where attached to a major panel (102) acts to collate and protect the charge of cigarettes and to allow heat-sealing or other sealing pressure to be exerted more efficiently than would otherwise be possible.

Description

Technical field

The present invention relates to the packaging of smoking articles such as cigars, short cigars and cigarettes. These packaged smoking articles will be referred to herein as ety cigarettes for ease of reference.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

Cigarette packs or boxes are divided into two broad classes - hard and soft. Soft packaging is more common in the US and Japan. These soft packages, as their name implies, are made essentially of soft film materials. The hard pack, more commonly used in Europe, has an outer carton case that contains a cigarette cartridge. 15 Dec

The hard type allows good protection of cigarettes and any inner packaging, such as a protective layer to prevent the ingress or leakage of moisture, but these hard packaging is relatively complex in construction and assembly, and

2q may represent a substantial cost expense.

Soft packaging is simpler and cheaper, but in this case there is a greater risk of damage to the contents during transport or other handling.

The present invention proposes a new form of packaging for a cigarette that may be referred to as a semi-hard.

Various reinforcements or protective layers have already been inserted between the cigarette dose and the outer wrapper.

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For example, GB-A-2264483 discloses a folded carton lid placed over the unprotected ends of a cigarette dose.

GB-A-1514174 discloses an inner liner with front and rear panels which are connected through a bottom panel and side panels, the liner thus forming an open end box inside the outer package.

EP-A-633202 discloses an outer box with an open top end into which a packaged dose of cigarettes is inserted.

GB-A-918388 discloses a predominantly hard box within a container, but one side of the box is not secured, as is the case with conventional containers, and can be pressed inward to allow the outer container to be divided to access cigarettes.

US-A-1755579 discloses a frame around a batch of cigarettes that is wrapped with tin foil or equivalent.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

In the package according to the present invention, the cigarette pack has a frame of cardboard or equivalent material with a main panel, two side flaps and at least partially an end flap positioned near the forehead, sides and at least a portion of at least one end and dose of smoking material respectively. a frame with a dose and sealed around it, as in GB-A-1514174 with respect to one end flap. In the present invention, however, all of the sealed seams lie at least partially on a portion of the frame.

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The frame is preferably open and may be U-shaped (that is, the side flaps are not joined other than through the main panel itself), but will have at least partial end flaps. Usually, the outside of the flexible film is not a hard case, although the wrapper may have an outer wrapper, outside the sealed protective film, for example of transparent plastic or cellophane, to provide protection for the wrapper and, if desired, protective properties.

The protective layer is a protective material, such as a metal foil / plastic laminate or a metallized plastic film. The film is sealed in the form of a wrapper around the batch and frame, the wrapper being practically almost hermetic. The formation of sealed seams in the wrapping or protective layer, in particular on the sides of the wrapper, is supported by the presence of side panels of the inner frame that abut the dose cigarettes and distribute the pressure exerted on them by the sealing machine. This is particularly useful when the dose has different numbers of cigarettes in different rows, such as field 7-6-7, otherwise there would be a tendency to form a U-shape on the sides.

The pack will be provided with means for providing access to a dose of cigarettes; there may be a tear strip around at least a portion of the periphery of the package near the end intended to be the upper end thereof, so that a portion of the film may be completely or more preferably only partially detached. In the latter case, the inner frame may comprise, integrally or separately, an inner lid defining a portion to facilitate the reclosing of the package.

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The compartment for access purposes may be formed or supported by the line of weakness (s) or by partial cuts in the film forming the wrapper.

The sealed package may be resealable. In such a case, the access opening is defined in the protective layer and a cover is formed which can extend over the opening and can engage the protective layer near all sides of the opening. The cover has a permanently sticky surface for engagement with a protective layer that allows the cover to be resealed after the cigarettes have been exposed through the opening.

The wrapper or protective layer may be continuous over one smaller end of the wrapper or dose and has side seams along both smaller sides of the wrapper and a sheath or the like folded over the opposite smaller end. The layer need not be used in this way - it can be used as well as continuous over one smaller side and sealed over both smaller ends and one smaller side.

The various patterns of heat-sealable portions of the protective layer, achieved by applying an adhesive, lacquer or the like to the protective material, may, when thermally sealed with each other or with the protective material, form a cover which is as hermetic as possible.

In addition, a flavoring agent may be formed in the permanently adhesive adhesive used to reseal such a protective layer. Thus, each time the cigarettes are exposed, some of the flavoring agent will be released. This contrasts with previously known systems (such as those described in U.S. Pat

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UA-A-5249676) which release only one dose of flavoring agent upon initial opening of the package.

The flavoring agent is preferably packaged in microcapsules, wherein any action of disengagement _{from the} adhesive surface from the protective layer will rupture a portion of the microcapsules and thereby release their contents. US-A-4720423, which again relates to a disposable flavoring system, describes how micro-capsules bearing a flavoring agent can be incorporated into the adhesive.

By flavoring agent is meant in this context any substance that releases, generates, neutralizes, covers or changes odors, for example perfume or deodorant.

The flavoring agent may alternatively or additionally be incorporated into a block that is contained within the overwrap.

The pad may be of a porous substance, for example, an insert, a sheet of paper, or may be of cardboard of an inner frame of a semi-hard wrapper.

Alternatively, the flavoring agent may be enclosed 20 or contained within a sachet, wherein the capsule or sachet is contained within the package.

The flavoring agent may impregnate the cigarettes contained in the package so as to affect the taste or smell of the smoke produced when the cigarettes are smoked. Such a preferred flavoring agent is menthol.

The flavoring agent may be incorporated into both the resealable adhesive layer (outside the protective layer) and the liner (inside the overwrap). The flavoring agents may be the same so that their effects are potentiated or different.

for example, to provide one flavor upon opening the package and another flavor in the cigarette.

The invention also relates to an inner frame particularly suitable for the resealable container of the present invention. Such an inner frame has panels that can be stacked relative to each other to form four at least partial prism faces including one main face, and additionally the frame has a flap or flaps that form an incomplete fifth prism face.

In a preferred embodiment, the frame has a main panel, two elongated side wings and a (lower) end panel, and two flaps. The long edges of the side wings and the end panel are the larger edges respectively the smaller edge of the main face. The flaps are at the upper ends of the side wings. Thus, after folding, the frame forms the main face, the two long side faces and the lower end face of the prism, the flaps forming the two portions of the incomplete upper end face.

It is preferred that the main face does not have the shape of a complete rectangle but has a recess in the upper edge. When such a recess is present, it is further preferred that the end panel is shaped such that the two cut-out, unfolded frames placed end to end fit together as a mosaic (i.e., they can lie side by side without overlapping or gaps), thereby minimizes the amount of material needed.

When this inner frame is used in a resealable package, the opening in the protective layer through which the cigarettes can be exposed preferably lies on the area between the flap (s) and the recess in the main panel. The flap (s) that are carried on any cigarettes remaining in the package

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I ΒΒΒΒ ΒΒ · ΒΒΒΒ (because it is preferable that the length of the side edge is similar to the length of cigarettes), provides support that carries a protective layer near the opening, allowing the adhesive cover to be firmly pressed against the protective layer to promote resealing .

Of course, the inner frames may have a single fold between the panels (forming sharp edges) or double folds (forming beveled edges). Alternatively, the sides of the frame may be rounded, for example, to be used in a so-called oval package.

In addition, a plurality of batches, each within the inner frame, may be wrapped together in a single layer forming the package to form a semi-hard multi-dose package.

The flavoring agent may be added to the container in the form of so-called pads to scrape and inhale. That is, the flavoring agent may be coated on the package in a form (for example, encapsulated in microcapsules) that allows the flavoring agent to be released by abrasion.

Such plates are scratch and inhale, generally known, for example, for perfume advertisements which are inserted into magazines.

The seams of the overwrap may be formed using adhesive or heat sealable tapes which are added to the overwrap, for example by printing. Such a solution finds particular use where the cover is a metal / paper laminate or a metallized paper. However, the one or more outer faces of the layered plastic or film may be of a heat-sealable material.

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Overview of the drawings

Fig. 1 shows a perspective view of a first embodiment of a package according to the invention in its closed state;

Giant. 2 shows the package according to this embodiment in an open state;

Fig. 3 shows a front view of a blank for an inner frame of this embodiment;

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Giant. 4 shows a top view of a frame folded to receive a dose of cigarettes;

Giant. 5 is a front view of the overwrap layer and the cigarettes;

Fig. 6 shows a perspective view of a second embodiment of the invention in a closed state;

Giant. 7 shows a perspective view of a second embodiment of the invention in an open state;

Giant. 8 shows a perspective view of a third embodiment of the invention in a closed state;

Giant. 9 shows a perspective view of a third embodiment of the invention in an open state;

Fig. 10 shows a perspective view of a fourth embodiment of the invention in a closed state;

Fig. 11 shows a perspective view of a fourth embodiment of the invention in an open state;

Fig. 12 shows an adhesive mark placed in position;

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Fig. 13 shows a fifth embodiment of an inner frame according to the present invention, in an unfolded state;

Figure 14 shows the inner frame of Figure 13 in a collapsed state;

Fig. 15 shows a second embodiment of a cut blank of protective material;

Fig. 16 shows a front view of this second embodiment when assembled into a box;

Figure 17 shows a top view of this second embodiment when assembled into a box, with a small portion cut away;

Fig. 18 shows one side view of this second embodiment when assembled into a box;

Fig. 19 shows a second side view of this second embodiment when assembled into a box;

20 shows a third embodiment of a cut blank of protective material;

Fig. 21 shows a front view of this third embodiment when assembled into a box;

Fig. 22 shows a top view of this third embodiment when assembled into a box, with a small portion cut away;

Fig. 23 shows one side view of this third embodiment when assembled into a box;

Fig. 24 shows a second side view of this third embodiment when assembled into a box;

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Fig. 25 shows the heat-sealable regions on the inner face of the protective layer blank;

Fig. 26 shows the heat-sealable regions on the outer face of the protective layer blank;

Fig. 27 shows a sixth embodiment of the inner frame;

Fig. 28 shows a package made using this sixth embodiment; and

Fig. 29 shows the package of Fig. 28 in the open 10 state.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

In Fig. 1, a layer of resilient protective material, such as a laminate of metal foil and a sheet or a metallized resilient plastic foil, has been wrapped around the inner frame and dose of cigarettes to form a cigarette wrapper. It is itself heat-sealed or otherwise permanently sealed to form a sealed package. It may also be wrapped by an outer soft layer such as cellophane or transparent plastic (not shown).

In the vicinity of the top of the wrapper, a reinforcing tear strip is provided within the protective material from one side seam 3 to the other (not shown) with the flap 2 left behind the seam 3 for user manipulation when wishing to gain access to cigarettes already after removing any outer wrapping . Alternatively, the flap 2 could be protected by an adhesive tape such as a coupon, label or tax stamp.

The separation of the protective material due to the tear strip may, if necessary, be ·· ·

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Podpor φφφ φφ φφ φφ φ supported by lines 2 of weakness in the protective material, which should not adversely affect the protective properties of the material. For example, laser cut lines may penetrate only a portion of the thickness of the plastic plated plastic layer, leaving the plating undisturbed.

By folding a layer or sheet (the nature of which is described in the description below with reference to Fig. 6) around a batch of cigarettes and its fold 4 near the bottom of the wrapper and on its top surface 5, operations are readily feasible, for example a Molins HLP or Schemermund machine modified to provide an effective full-length inner frame, to allow the tear strip to be present, and to provide the desired thermal or other seal.

Giant. 2 shows the package after the tear strip has been used to remove the strip of protective material. The lid part of the frame remains fixed in the package by connection to the interior of the top surface of the package 5 and can be folded upward by the user. The package can be closed again by inserting the lid of the flap 9 into the edge 2 of the protective material that has been formed by removing the tear strip 2.

Giant. 3 shows a blank for the inner frame, whereby the structural elements of the package can be viewed somewhat more closely. The blank 10 has a central portion 11 to form a front panel and side wings 12 which are hingedly connected to the front panel and to be folded at right angles thereto. However, there is a double groove or weakening line 13 between the panels and is grooved at the edge of each wing

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99 99 9 line 14, resulting in a structure, as best seen in FIG. 4, with oblique corners when the side wings 12 are bent at right angles to the front panel 11 and the inner frame assumes a U-shape in which there is a dose of 15 cigarettes, here in the number of twenty.

At the top of the front panel 11, the cut line 18 defines the end of the flap 9 by the portion 11 forming the lid of the blank 10. (The sides of the flap continue with the inner lines of weakness 13 as the cut lines 18, but the breaks in and between the cut lines ensure that the lid forming part 7 remains fixed to the rest of the blank until deliberately detached therefrom. with the end panel 22 of the lid forming part 7, the end panel 22 being defined by a hinge line 17.

In Fig. 5, a sheet 24 of material to be wrapped around the inner frame and its cigarette filling is visible. This sheet 24 rectangular and, when placed around the inner frame and its dose of cigarettes, will first be folded in lines 26 at the front and rear respectively of the bottom of the inner frame with its filling. Then the folds are formed on the sides of the bottom by folding at positions 27 of the lines 25. Then, this sheet is folded along the lines 25 to lie on the side wings 12 of the inner frame and create side seams 3. Cross folds are formed on its upper surface 5 s. by using the flaps behind the tear strip 28 and beyond the fold line 29, and all overlapping portions are sealed together to form a hermetic seal.

The lines of weakness 6 show the edges of the tear strip 28 which lies below the sheet and forms the flap 2 already described.

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These edges may be followed by lines of weakness or partial indentations in the sheet material 24.

The end panel 22 is heat sealed, or otherwise permanently sealed, to the inner surface of the protective material forming the top surface 5. The hinge line 17 corresponds to the edge of the portion of the sheet 24 lying over it.

To open the package, the user removes any outer wrapping or adhesive strip and pulls the flap 2 to remove the protective material between the lines of weakness 6 and the side seams 3 on the front of the package 1 and on the fronts of its sides. The end panel 22 remains attached to the inner surface of the sheet 24 and, via the remaining portions 30 of the protective layer of the package, remains attached to the rest of the package.

The flap 9, whose lower edge at the cutting line 18 lies below the edge 15

8. The material remaining after removal of the tear strip may be folded up and back onto the hinge panel 21 while breaking the break 20 to gain access to cigarettes. For reclosing, the flap 9 can be slid into the edge again.

The embodiment of FIGS. 6 and 7 is a wrapper 31 having one side seam 32 in a protective material wrapped around the inner frame 33. This folding method is performed, for example, on a GD machine. The tear strip 28 'extends all the way around the package, so that when pulling on the flap 2', the entire upper portion of the protective material is removed, thereby exposing the dose of cigarettes 15 as shown in Fig. 7.

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Giant. Figures 8 and 9 show how the tear strip 28 '' can extend all around a package having two side seams 3 ', as in the first embodiment. This tear strip 28 has two components welded together in the region 34 after folding and heat sealing the protective material. Upon removal of the tear strip, the cigarette dose 15 is presented in the inner frame 33 as shown in Figure 9.

Giant. 10 illustrates how a tear strip 28 '' 'may extend from one side to the other side of a package whose inner frame 34 does not have a lid portion.

When this tear strip 28 '' is pulled to separate the strip of wrapping material, the result of this action is shown in Fig. 11. The top cover surface 5 of the wrapper remains retained by its rear edge and part of its side edges and can be folded along its main central axis to provide access to a dose of 15 cigarettes, but retains some cap function. In such embodiments, one edge of the tear strip should coincide with the edge of the top surface 5, otherwise the folding of the top surface will cause the protective material to twist or tear.

Giant. 12 illustrates how an adhesive strip such as a coupon, label or tax stamp 35 may be used to protect the top surface 5 of the package, for example, the first or fourth embodiment. A portion of the strip passes down over that side of the package having the flap 2, and it overlaps this flap both to prevent accidental opening and to create an intentional tamper indicator.

Giant. Figures 13 and 14 show an inner frame usable with any shape of protective layer, which also has the advantage of a resealable closure of the end flaps on the upper face.

The inner frame 101, as shown in FIG. 13, is formed of a blank sheet of rigid cardboard or the like that can be folded. The main panel 102, which is generally rectangular, has elongated rectangular side wings 104 extending from the two longer edges 106, the long edges of these side wings extending together or coinciding with the longer edges 106. Generally, the rectangular end panel 108 extends from the shorter edge 110 (lower edges A long edge of this end panel extends together or coincides with the lower edge 110. At the upper ends of the side wings 104 are small rectangular flaps 112 that are actually continuation of the side wings 104 along the upper edges 114 of these side wings 104.

Giant. 14 shows an inner frame folded inwardly along edges 106, 110, 114, wherein the panels and wings 102, 104, 108 form the four faces of the prism, and wherein the flaps 112 form the two ends of the incomplete fifth face.

The main panel 102 is not a complete rectangle because it has a recess at its upper edge. The bottom panel is shaped to fit with this recess so that, as can be seen in Fig. 13, two non-folded frames, laid end to end, would be folded into a mosaic.

In a resealable semi-rigid container, the main face forms the front of the container, the cigarette access opening lying over a recess in the main face and a gap in the upper face between the two flaps. Two flaps 112 when carried • · »·» 0 0 ··

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The cigarettes remaining in the package provide a support against which the adhesive cover of the resealable protective layer can be pressed to ensure a good reseal. The length of the longer edges of the main face of the main panel 102 is similar to the length of the cigarettes to be contained in the wrapper so that the ends of the cigarettes rest on these flaps and may be slightly longitudinally compressed by these flaps when the wrapper is overwrapped.

A flavor-bearing composition, such as a sachet, capsule, scraper or porous layer, may be contained within the protective layer.

Alternatively, the inner frame may be made of a carton onto or in which a flavoring agent such as menthol is applied.

A micro-capsule carrying a flavoring agent may be incorporated in the permanently adhesive adhesive of the resealable closure so that the flavoring agent is released each time the cigarettes are exposed. A suitable adhesive is available from Sessions of York, Huntington Road, York YO3 9HS, England.

Giant. 15 depicts a cut blank to form a protective seal around a dose of smoking typically contained within an inner frame. The preform is generally applicable in all situations mentioned in the description above and can be made of any of the materials mentioned in this description, but differs in that it is designed to be applied by folding around one shorter side edge of the cigarette dose and any the inner frame rather than around one smaller end.

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The blank has main panels 201 and 202 that are front and rear panels of the assembled package, respectively.

The middle panel 203 will be continuous around one of the shorter side edges of the smoking dose or fill. The end panels 204 and 205 will lie on top of each other on the other side of this batch of cigarettes and will be heat sealed together in the seam.

At one edge of the panels 201, 202, 203, 204, 205, the end flaps 206 and 207 are on the main panels respectively wedges

208, 209 and 210 on smaller panels. First, the end flaps 206 and 207 are folded in, and then the wedges 208, 209 and 210 are folded out. The end flaps and wedges are then sealed with a heat seal, as in a side seam, between the end panels 204 and 205, and then the wedges are folded to lie along the side panels where they can be fixed in position.

At the second edge of the panels 201, 202, 203, 204, 205 there are further end flaps and wedges 210, 211 and 212, 213,

214, which generally correspond to flaps and wedges 206, 207, 208,

209, 210, but which in the flaps 210 and 211 are cut to form an openable access flap for a user of the finished package to access the contents of such a package.

The flap 210 is interrupted by parallel slits 215 that extend into the main front panel 201 to the narrow webs 216. The U-shaped cut 217 extends from one web 216 to the other in the main panel 201.

In the end flap 211, the parallel notches 218 extend to the potential fold line that separates the main panel 202.

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9 from flap 211, being rounded to J at 219 at this point.

There are bridges 220 near the extreme edge of flap 211, and beyond these bridges 220 are the short final notches 221 in one 5 line with the notches 218 and extending to the free edge of the flap 211.

Giant. 16 illustrates how the main panel 201 and the notches 215 and 217 and bridges 216 may look like the package is fully assembled.

Of course, since the package is resealable, the notches will not be visible as they will be covered by a resealable, permanently adhesive layer. In addition, the packaging may be contained within the outer carton of any suitable type and / or may be repackaged.

Giant. 17 illustrates a top view of the protective closure when formed around a batch of cigarettes wherein the flap 210 has already been heat sealed in the region 222 over the flap 211. It can be seen that the spacing of the notches 215 is slightly greater than the spacing of notches 218 so created packaging,

2o thereby achieving continuity of the protective action. Flap

210 has been somewhat cut to show the position of the bridge 220 between notches 218 and 221.

Giant. 18 shows the heat-sealed seam region 223 between the side flaps 204 and 205, with wedges

209, 210, 213, 214 form merchant folds 224, 225 at the upper and lower ends of the shorter edge of the package.

The opposite shorter edge, as shown in FIG. 19, shows the continuity of the protective material around that edge and has folds 226, 227 formed by wedges 208 and 212.

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In the third embodiment of the blank shown in FIG.

to Fig. 26, different folding means are provided which provide a simpler effect with respect to the side walls of the formed wrapper, but somewhat limit the width available to form the access flap.

In this embodiment of the blank (see FIG. 20), the main panels 230 and 231 are the front and rear panels, respectively, and are joined by a side panel 232 to extend continuously around one shorter side of the smoking dose and any internal frame. In the formed package, the end panels 233 and 234 extend over and are sealed to each other on the opposite shorter side.

The end flaps 235, 236, 237, 238, 239 are connected to the corresponding panels 203, 231, 232, 233, 234 with optional 15 fold lines, which are indicated by dashed lines. More specifically, the diagonal fold lines 240 interrupt the larger of the end flaps, namely flaps 235 and 236.

At the second edge of the main panels 230, 231, 232, 233, 234 20 are end flaps 241, 242, 243, 244, 245 that generally correspond to respective flaps 235, 236, 237, 238, 239, with fold lines 246 generally corresponding to the fold lines 240.

However, as in the second embodiment, the larger end flaps 25 241 and 242 are interrupted by score lines to define the access flap to the sealed closure formed by the blank around the dose of smoking material. The notches 247 extend in parallel across the flap 241 from the close proximity of its free edge to the main panel 230 to the webs 248, with a notch 249 in the shape of a letter 249 passing from one web to the other. U in the taskbar.

At end flap 242 there are J-shaped notches 250 that extend from the nearly free edge of the flap to its eventual fold line with the panel 231 and extend to the bridges 251, in close proximity to the bridges leading short edges 252 to the free edge of the flap.

Giant. Fig. 21 is a front view of the blank of Fig. 20 assembled into a box, and Fig. 22 is a top view of the box, again showing that notches 247 and 251 do not coincide, although unlike the second embodiment, notches 250 are further apart. their flap before the notches 247 are spaced apart. Again, in this figure, a small portion of flap 241 is removed so that a bridge can be seen

251 between notches 250 and 252.

Giant. 23 shows a side seam 253 formed between panels 233 and 234, and FIG. 24 shows a panel 232 on the other shorter side of the smoking dose. The effect of simplification can be seen with respect to these sides, because as a result of such a blank, only the upper and lower smaller sides of the cigarette batch are folded.

Other embodiments of the protective layer blank are shown in Figs. 25 and 26. The sketch of these embodiments is only schematic, these embodiments, for example, may have any of the specific shapes of the blank described above, wherein the protective layer is continuous over one smaller end. and may have lines or notches defining an access opening.

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In Figures 25 and 26, the main panels 260, 261 are connected through the lower panel 262 and lead to the upper flaps 2663, 264. The side and corner flaps 265, 266, 267, 268, 269 are along each side of the panels and the flaps 260 , 261, 262 and 263, 264, respectively.

The hatching shows areas 270 on the face (see FIG. 25) to be internal and areas 271 on the face (see FIG. 26) to be external to the assembled package, these the areas are areas of heat-sealable lacquer or adhesive; alternatively, the heat-sealable regions of the plastic component of the protective material itself complementary to form a continuous seal around all seams and folds of the sealed protective closure.

The sixth embodiment of the inner frame blank 10 'is shown in FIG. 27. This embodiment is largely similar to that of FIG. 3, therefore, the same reference numerals will be used, supplemented with (') where there are differences.

The top panel 21 'is expanded compared to the panel 21 to have a width similar to the front-to-back depth of the cigarette dose 15 to be packaged, and the end panel 22' is to lie behind the cigarette dose 15. That is, the blanks can be cut without waste from the carton strip, the front panels 11 'being correspondingly shortened.

The package is formed as before, as shown in FIG. 28. The end panel 22 'is heat sealed to the protective layer only in its portion that lies below the tear strip 2 - see the corresponding shaded portion of the end panel 22' ⁱⁿ FIG.

27. When pulled by a tear strip 2 that extends around the entire perimeter of the package, the entire top of the overwrap from the protective material may be removed; the user then squeezes the front flap 9 inwardly to break the interruption 20, and can then lift the flap and the top panel 21 'as a lid hinged to the end panel 22', as shown in Fig. 29. below the lower edge of the tear strip 2, the edge portion of the front flap 9 may be inserted into the remaining protective material at the front of the package to reseal the package.

Represented by:

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1999- 1818

Claims (19)

PATENT CLAIMS A smoking casket which has a frame with a main panel, two side flaps and at least partially an end flap located near the forehead, sides and at least a portion of at least one end respectively of the smoking cage and a flexible protective layer covering the smoking cage and frame and forming a sealed a wrap around them by sealed seams, characterized in that all of the sealed seams lie at least partially on a portion of the frame. Packaging according to claim 1, characterized in that said end flap is the bottom flap below the bottom of the smoking dose. Packaging according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that said end flap consists of upper flaps extending only partially over the top of the smoking dose. Packaging according to claim 2, characterized in that the lower and side flaps are hingedly connected to the corresponding edges of the main panel and the upper flaps extending only partially over the top of the smoking dose are correspondingly hingedly connected to the side flaps. Packaging according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that said main panel is a single main panel. Packaging according to claim 5, characterized in that the free edges of the side flaps remote into the main panel form the edges of the frame. • · · · · · · · The package according to any of the preceding claims, wherein the protective material has a resealable access opening. Packaging according to claim 7, characterized in that the resealable access opening is covered with a covering layer having edge portions overlapping the protective material surrounding the access opening, with permanently adhesive on said edge portions. 3_q Packaging according to claim 8, characterized in that the permanent adhesive comprises micro-capsules with a flavoring agent. Packaging according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that the frame surrounds two shorter sides at least Ί With one end and only one main face of the prism formed by the specified batch of smoking material. Packaging according to claim 10, characterized in that the two side flaps of the frame are attached by one edge to 20, the opposite edge of each flap being free. Packaging according to claim 10 or 11, characterized in that the frame lies at both ends of the smoking dose, with a lower flap to surround the bottom of the smoking dose and with upper 25 with flaps only partially surrounding the top of the smoking dose. Packaging according to claim 11 or 12, characterized in that each of the side and end flaps is attached over only one edge. • · · · · · · · · Packaging according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the dose of smoking material is a dose of cigarettes arranged in rows of 7, 6 and 7 cigarettes. Packaging according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that it comprises a flavoring agent. Packaging according to claim 15, characterized in that the flavoring agent is carried by the frame. Packaging according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the upper end flap, if provided, is at least partially removable from the frame. 18. A method of manufacturing a smoking container, comprising placing around a batch of smoking a frame with a main panel, two side flaps, and at least one partially end flap in such a way that the main panel, side flaps and end flap are supported. forehead, sides, or at least partially at least one end of the smoking dose, wrapping the smoking dose and frame with a flexible protective layer and forming a sealed wrap around them by compressing the flexible protective layer together by a seam sealing machine, the frame dissipating the pressure exerted by the smoking sealing machine at least part of each seam. 19. The method of claim 18, wherein a fold is formed in the protective material and is sealed together with the at least partially end flap. Represented by: